There are three different kinds of burns. They are classified by how severely the skin is burned. The three types of burns are:

A superficial burn is usually red and turns white if you press on it. Only the top layer of skin is damaged.

These burns involve the top layer of skin and a portion of the second layer of skin. Partial thickness burns are often broken down into two types, superficial partial-thickness burns and deep partial-thickness burns.

• Superficial partial-thickness burns cause blistering and are painful. They typically heal within three weeks with minimal scarring.
• Deep partial-thickness burns are dry and may appear ivory or pearly white. They take longer to heal and usually produce some scarring. Skin grafts are usually recommended for these types of burns.

Full thickness burns destroy the first and second layers of the skin. They are dry, with a dark brown appearance. Most full thickness burns are best treated with early removal of the dead tissue, skin grafting and long-term use of compression therapy to minimize scarring.